Animal Defenders International

Worldwide circus bans

Belgium: Nationwide ban on the use of most wild animals in circuses (Parrots and camel are classed as domestic)

Bosnia and Herzegovina: Nationwide ban on all animals in circuses

Bulgaria: Nationwide ban on certain wild animal species in circuses, variety shows and other entertainment facilities

Croatia: Nationwide ban on the use of wild animals in circuses

Czech Republic: Nationwide ban on the use of certain species in circuses

Cyprus: Nationwide ban on all animals in circuses

Denmark: Nationwide ban on the use of certain species in circuses

Estonia: Nationwide ban on the use of wild animals in circuses

Finland: Nationwide ban on the use of certain species in circuses

France: Local bans in 50 towns and cities

Germany: Local bans in approx 90 towns and cities

Greece: Nationwide ban on all animals in circuses

Hungary: Nationwide ban on the use of wild caught animals in circuses, the purchase and training of elephants and primates for circus performances and the purchase, training and use of CITES (Appendix 1) listed species in circuses

Malta: Nationwide ban on all animals for performances, exhibitions, shows or training for the circus

The Netherlands: Nationwide ban on the use and transport of animals in circuses, with exemptions for certain, mostly domestic, species

Norway: Use of wild species effectively banned nationwide - positive list of permitted animals only includes domestic animals (apart from camels)

Poland: Nationwide ban on the use of wild-born animals in circuses

Portugal: Nationwide ban restricting the use of great apes in circuses and the acquisition and breeding of CITES listed species

Romania: Nationwide ban on the use of wild animals in circuses (apart from certain exotic bird species and cetaceans)

Scotland: Nationwide ban on the use of wild animals in circuses

Serbia: Nationwide ban on the use of wild animals in circuses

Slovenia: Nationwide ban on the use of wild animals in circuses

Spain: Local bans on the use of wild animals in circuses in more than 400 towns and cities including Barcelona

Sweden: Nationwide ban on the use of certain species in circuses

UK: Over 200 local authorities have bans on animal circuses (more than two thirds of these ban all performing animals, the remainder ban just wild animals). England and Wales have committed to ban the use of wild animals in circuses; a ban on such acts has passed in Scotland

Ukraine: Nationwide ban on “mobile menageries” and the transportation of wild animals for use in circus performances

NORTH AMERICA

USA: 92 partial or full bans on performing animals in jurisdictions in the US, in 32 states. Statewide bans in New Jersey and Hawaii.

Canada: Local bans on the use of animals in circuses in 33 municipal jurisdictions including Vancouver

LATIN AMERICA

Argentina: Local bans on the use of wild animals in circuses in over 20 cities including a ban in the city of Buenos Aires

Bolivia: Nationwide ban on the use of wild and domestic animals in circuses

Brazil: Local bans on the use of animals in circuses in 11 states and over 20 cities

Colombia: Nationwide ban on the use of wild animals in circuses; Local ban on the use of animals in circuses in the capital, Bogota

Costa Rica: Nationwide ban on the use of wild animals in circuses.

Ecuador: Nationwide ban on the use of native wild animals; restrictions on the use of exotic animals; ban on the import of both native and exotic wild animals with circuses

El Salvador: Nationwide ban on the “Income, use or abuse of wildlife species in all kinds of entertainment”

Guatemala: Nationwide ban on the use of animals in circuses

Mexico: Nationwide ban on the use of wild animals in circuses

Panama: Nationwide ban prohibiting “entry of wild animals for use in static and travelling circuses and similar shows”

Paraguay: Nationwide ban on the use of wild animals in circuses.

Peru: Nationwide ban on the use of wild animals in circuses as well as a local ban on all animals in Magdalena del Mar

OCEANIA

Australia: Local bans on the use of animals in circuses in several towns including Hobsons Bay, Surf Coast Shire, Parramata and Lismore